Ajax end AZ's run to close gap on leaders PSV

AMSTERDAM, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Arek Milik and Davy Klaassen scored two goals each as 10-man Ajax Amsterdam beat AZ Alkmaar 4-1 on Sunday to narrow the gap with Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven to a single point.

Ajax shrugged off AZ with two goals in the opening half hour from the Polish international and Klaassen, and two more in the second half despite going down to 10 men when Anwar El Ghazi was dismissed on the hour mark.

Ajax advanced to 61 points in the standings, one behind the champions, who won 2-0 at home to ADO Den Haag on Saturday, with nine rounds left in the season.

AZ, for whom Vincent Janssen got a consolation goal, slipped to fourth place as they had a run of seven successive league wins emphatically halted.

Feyenoord are back in third, on 40 points like AZ, after ending a horror run of nine league games without a victory when they came from a goal down to beat fifth placed Utrecht 2-1 away.

Dirk Kuyt scored the winner to the relief of all at the club.

"After such a dramatic streak the relief that we've eventually won a game is huge," striker Michiel Kramer told reporters.

Heracles Almelo stay sixth despite a 5-0 home loss to Roda JC Kerkrade. Rydell Poepon scored two of the goals to open up a six-point gap between Roda and the relegation zone.

There was also an away win for Heerenveen at bottom-placed De Graafschap where Norwegian teenager Morten Thorsby scored the only goal. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Clare Fallon)